U.S. patent application number 16/638075 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-09 for access arrangement for a vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Continental Automotive GmbH. Invention is credited to Ulrich Emmerling, Annette Hebling, Alexander Heinrich, Stefan Hermann, Christine Igl, Georg Kaufl.
Application Number | 20200216031 16/638075 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63244577 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200216031 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Emmerling; Ulrich ; et
al. |
July 9, 2020 |
ACCESS ARRANGEMENT FOR A VEHICLE
Abstract
An access arrangement for a vehicle comprises a vehicle-side
unlocking device for unlocking a locking mechanism. Furthermore, it
comprises a vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage
device which is set up to supply the unlocking device with energy
independently of the on-board power supply of the vehicle.
Moreover, the access arrangement has a vehicle-side energy supply
device comprising a first section for receiving wirelessly
transmitted energy and for converting the transmitted energy into
electrical energy, and a second section for charging the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device. In
particular, the access arrangement also comprises a vehicle-side
authentication device for checking access authorization, which is
supplied with energy independently of the on-board power supply by
means of the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage
device. It is therefore no longer necessary to equip a mobile
identification transmitter carried by a user with the access
arrangement with a mechanical key.
Inventors: |
Emmerling; Ulrich; (Kelheim,
DE) ; Hebling; Annette; (Geisling, DE) ; Igl;
Christine; (Regensburg, DE) ; Kaufl; Georg;
(Painten, DE) ; Hermann; Stefan; (Neunkirchen am
Brand, DE) ; Heinrich; Alexander; (Donaustauf,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Continental Automotive GmbH |
Hannover |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
63244577 |
Appl. No.: |
16/638075 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
August 9, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2018/071675 |
371 Date: |
February 10, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 25/403 20130101;
B60R 2325/103 20130101; G07C 2009/00634 20130101; G07C 2009/00642
20130101; B60R 2325/205 20130101; G07C 9/00309 20130101; B60R 25/24
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 25/40 20060101
B60R025/40; B60R 25/24 20060101 B60R025/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 11, 2017 |
DE |
10 2017 214 105.0 |
Claims
1. An access arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle-side
unlocking device configured to actuate a locking mechanism; a
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device
configured to supply the unlocking device with energy; a
vehicle-side energy supply device comprising: a first section
configured to receive wirelessly transmitted energy and to convert
the transmitted energy into electrical energy, and a second section
configured to charge the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical
energy storage device, a vehicle-side authentication device
configured to check and implement access authorization, wherein the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device is
configured to supply both the authentication device and the
unlocking device with energy, and wherein the vehicle-side energy
supply device is configured in such a way that the vehicle-side
rechargeable electrical energy storage device is initially only
charged with an amount of energy that allows the first vehicle-side
authentication device to check the access authorization, and the
vehicle-side energy supply device further charges the vehicle-side
rechargeable electrical energy storage device when the access
authorization has been checked as positive.
2. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device
comprises at least one of a rechargeable battery and a
capacitor.
3. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
vehicle-side energy supply device comprises a radio interface
configured to receive energy transmitted wirelessly by radio.
4. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
vehicle-side energy supply device comprises a light interface
configured to receive energy transmitted wirelessly via light.
5. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
vehicle-side authentication device configured to implement the
access authorization outputs an unlock signal to the vehicle-side
unlocking device configured to unlock the locking mechanism.
6. (canceled)
7. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
a mobile identification transmitter configured to output the energy
to be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle-side energy supply
device.
8. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mobile
identification transmitter is configured to carry out
authentication with the vehicle-side authentication device.
9. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mobile
identification transmitter is configured as at least one of a key,
a key fob, a mobile phone, a smartphone and a fitness tracker.
10. The vehicle with the access arrangement as claimed in claim
1.
11. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device
comprises a supercapacitor.
12. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the radio
interface comprises an NFC interface.
13. The access arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the light
interface comprises a photocell.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an access arrangement for a
vehicle, in particular in order to be able to carry out emergency
unlocking of the vehicle in the event of failure of the vehicle
electrical system. The invention further relates to a vehicle with
an access arrangement just mentioned.
[0002] In order to prevent unauthorized access to a vehicle,
particularly a motor vehicle, modern access authorization systems
or access arrangements in vehicles use electronic security systems,
in which to authenticate a user data communication takes place
between a first communication device of the vehicle and a second
communication device in a mobile identification transmitter of the
user, such as a key or a key fob. In this case, in an active access
arrangement of the mobile identification transmitter, control
signals and an identification signal are transmitted to the
vehicle, for example by the user of the mobile identification
transmitter pressing a corresponding button, whereupon this vehicle
is unlocked or locked if the identification code is correct.
[0003] In what is known as a passive access arrangement, request
signals with a certain field strength are initially emitted at
regular time intervals by a first communication device of the
vehicle, in order to check whether a mobile identification
transmitter is located in a proximity region or in an access region
(unlock zone) around the vehicle. If a mobile identification
transmitter approaches the vehicle and is finally able to receive
the request signals thereof, it will respond to the reception of a
request signal in order to initiate an authentication process. In
this case, data messages are exchanged, in which the mobile
identification transmitter ultimately communicates its
authentication code in the vehicle. If the authentication code is
checked successfully, it is then possible that a user, who is
located directly at the vehicle in the access region, initiates
unlocking of the corresponding vehicle door or all vehicle doors by
actuating a door handle. As no active actuation of a mechanical or
electrical identification transmitter or key by a user has to take
place here, this type of access authorization checking is also
termed passive access authorization checking and the corresponding
access authorization systems are termed passive electronic access
authorization systems or passive access arrangements.
[0004] As just mentioned, it is necessary, particularly for passive
access arrangements, for a vehicle-side communication device to
send out signals to the mobile identification transmitter of the
user. However, this is no longer possible in the case where the
electrical system of the vehicle (fed by a vehicle battery) fails,
said system generally supplying the vehicle-side communication
device with energy. One possibility for failure can stem from the
fact that the vehicle battery supplying the on-board electrical
system is drained or no longer provides a sufficient voltage. For
this purpose, it is conceivable to provide a mobile identification
transmitter with a mechanical emergency key which makes it possible
to open the vehicle by way of a mechanical closing device on the
vehicle. In order that the closing device can be opened manually,
such an emergency key can have, alongside the key bit, a
sufficiently large key head in order that the torque required for
opening the closing mechanism can be applied. However, a key head
dimensioned in this way takes up a considerable structural space in
the identification transmitter, with the result that,
disadvantageously, the dimensions of the identification transmitter
are crucially determined and enlarged by said emergency key or key
head. Such a volume of an identification transmitter is usually
undesirable, however, since in many cases the identification
transmitter will also be kept in pockets of a user's clothes and
thus result in the pockets becoming baggy.
[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to create a
possible way of providing access to the vehicle in the event of
failure of the vehicle-side power supply even without an emergency
key.
[0006] This object is achieved by means of the subjects of the
independent claims. The dependent claims relate to advantageous
configurations.
[0007] According to a first aspect, an access arrangement for a
vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprises a vehicle-side
unlocking device for actuating, in particular unlocking, a locking
mechanism of the access arrangement. Furthermore, it comprises a
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device which is
set up to supply the unlocking device with energy. Here the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical storage device is in
particular not connected to the on-board power supply of the
vehicle, but is independent of it. In addition, the access
arrangement comprises a vehicle-side energy supply device with a
first section for receiving wirelessly transmitted energy and for
converting the transmitted energy into electrical energy, and with
a second section for charging the vehicle-side rechargeable
electrical energy storage device. In this way, it is possible for
the vehicle to be unlocked even in the event that the power supply
in the vehicle fails, since energy can be transmitted wirelessly to
the energy supply device for (emergency) operation of the
vehicle-side unlocking device, so that the latter then charges the
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device to
supply the unlocking device.
[0008] Furthermore, to increase security, the access arrangement
also has a vehicle-side authentication device for checking and
implementing access authorization. In this context, it is
conceivable that the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy
storage device is set up to supply both the authentication device
and the unlocking device (in particular independently of the
on-board power supply of the vehicle) with energy. This means that
even if the power supply of the vehicle fails, both the
authentication device and the unlocking device can be operated by
charging a single vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy
storage device, and in such an emergency situation a user can get
into the interior or the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
[0009] It is conceivable here that the vehicle-side energy supply
device or at least the first section of the energy supply device is
attached to the outside of the vehicle or is attached in such a way
that energy can be transmitted wirelessly from the outside of the
vehicle (with high efficiency) to the first section.
[0010] In addition, the vehicle-side energy supply device is set up
in such a way that the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy
storage device is initially only charged with the amount of energy
that allows the vehicle-side authentication device to check the
access authorization. If a check of the access authorization gives
a positive result, the vehicle-side energy supply device can
further charge the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy
storage device, in particular up to a state of charge at which at
least actuation of the vehicle-side unlocking device and thus
unlocking is possible.
[0011] According to one configuration of the access arrangement,
the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device can
comprise a (chargeable) rechargeable battery. However, it is also
conceivable for it to have a capacitor, in particular in the form
of a supercapacitor or ultracapacitor, which in particular has a
high power density and can be quickly charged and discharged.
[0012] According to a further configuration of the access
arrangement, the vehicle-side energy supply device has a radio
interface. It is conceivable here for such a radio interface to be
designed as a low-frequency radio interface that operates at
frequencies of approximately 125 kHz. In particular, however, it is
also conceivable for such a radio interface to be designed in the
form of a short-range interface or NFC (Near Field Communication)
interface in order to receive energy transmitted wirelessly by
radio. As will be explained in yet more detail later, such energy
can be provided by an identification transmitter assigned to the
access arrangement.
[0013] According to a further configuration, the vehicle-side
energy supply device can also comprise a light interface; it is
conceivable here, in particular, for this light interface to be
designed in the form of a photocell (solar cell) in order to
receive energy transmitted wirelessly by means of light, in
particular from an identification transmitter assigned to the
access arrangement. In this case, the light can come from a
luminous means of the identification transmitter, such as an LED
(Light Emitting Diode). In particular when the mobile
identification transmitter is designed as a mobile phone or
smartphone, an activated flashlight function or flash function can
be used to provide the light used for the energy supply.
Alternatively, the energy could also come from another light
source, for example a separate flashlight or even the sun. If
sunlight is used, it is also conceivable for authentication and/or
unlocking to be able to take place if both the vehicle and the
identification transmitter no longer have a sufficient battery
charge. In this case, the user must then wait until the sun is
shining or until the sun has used a vehicle-side photocell/solar
cell, as the first section of the energy supply device, to charge
the vehicle-side rechargeable energy storage device with sufficient
energy. In addition to energy transmission, light could also be
used for communication for an authentication process. In
particular, light in the infrared (IR) range is also possible
here.
[0014] According to a further configuration of the access
arrangement, the vehicle-side authentication device for
implementing the access authorization outputs an unlock signal to
the vehicle-side unlocking device for unlocking a locking
mechanism. In particular, it is assumed here that checking by the
authentication device has given a positive result. For example,
this means that a mobile identification transmitter assigned to the
access arrangement has sent its code to the authentication device
for the authentication check, this code being compared with a code
stored in the authentication device and a match of the transmitted
code and the stored code resulting in a positive authentication
result, and then in particular in unlocking.
[0015] According to a further configuration, the access arrangement
also comprises a mobile identification transmitter for outputting
or providing the energy to be wirelessly transmitted to the
vehicle-side energy supply device. This mobile identification
transmitter can be configured in such a way that it can be carried
with or by a user and is designed as a key, a key fob, a mobile
phone, in particular a smartphone (intelligent telephone), or as a
fitness tracker (fitness monitoring device, particularly worn
around the wrist) etc. In this way, the user can, for example, also
use an object of his daily life to carry out emergency unlocking of
the vehicle.
[0016] It is also conceivable for the mobile identification
transmitter, with which the emergency unlocking is possible, to
also be set up to communicate with the vehicle-side authentication
device in order to authenticate the mobile identification
transmitter by means of the access arrangement or the vehicle. As
already described above, authentication can take place by
exchanging one or more identification codes between the mobile
identification transmitter and the vehicle-side authentication
device and comparing it/them with predetermined or stored
codes.
[0017] According to a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle
with an access arrangement described above or a configuration
thereof is provided. In this case, the vehicle can have at least
one vehicle door in which the components of the access arrangement
are arranged. It is also conceivable for the vehicle door to have a
door handle in which the vehicle-side energy supply device or at
least the first section of the vehicle-side energy supply device is
provided.
[0018] Details and advantageous configurations of the access
arrangement described above can also be regarded as advantageous
configurations of the vehicle, and vice versa, insofar as they can
also be applied to the vehicle.
[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be
explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying
drawing. In the drawing:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the essential
components of an access arrangement according to an embodiment of
the invention.
[0021] Reference shall now be made to FIG. 1, which shows an access
arrangement ZAO designed for application in a vehicle, in
particular a motor vehicle. In this case, the access arrangement
ZAO comprises a vehicle-side part accommodated in the vehicle FZ,
in particular in a door FZT of the vehicle. As can be seen on the
right-hand side of the FIGURE, the access arrangement ZAO
furthermore has a mobile part formed by a mobile identification
transmitter, here in the embodiment of a smartphone (intelligent
phone) SP.
[0022] During normal or proper operation of the access arrangement,
during which a vehicle-side battery (not illustrated) supplies an
on-board electrical system with current, with the result that the
essential components are supplied with the battery voltage Vbat, a
vehicle-side control device STE (for example in the form of a
microcontroller) will send a signal to a vehicle-side
transmitting/receiving device via a control line SLN, said
transmitting/receiving device then emitting request signals at
regular time intervals. In the present case, the vehicle-side
transmitting/receiving device is an NFC module or an NFC reader
NFF, which is incorporated at least partly in a door handle TG of
the vehicle door FZT. Said NFC reader NFF will then send out radio
signals, in particular with a short range of approximately 10 cm,
as request signals CN. In this case, these radio signals for
request and also as response are in a frequency range of 13.56 MHz
in accordance with an NFC standard.
[0023] If there is now a radio counterpart, such as the smartphone
SP, within the range of the request signals CN, it will respond to
these request signals with one or more response signals RN. In
order to exchange these request and response signals, on the
vehicle side there is the vehicle-side (NFC) antenna ANF and on the
part of the smartphone SP there is the smartphone-side (NFC)
antenna ANS, which together form an NFC interface NFCS.
[0024] The request signals CN are received by the smartphone-side
antenna ANS and conducted to a smartphone-side
transmitting/receiving device SES. The latter comprises a storage
device SPS, in which an identification code CO is stored. Said code
is packaged into a response signal RN by the transmitting/receiving
device SES, with the result that the identification code CO is
transmitted back to the vehicle, more precisely to the antenna ANF.
From there, the code is conducted once again via the control line
SLN to the vehicle-side control device STE, and there it is checked
by an authentication section AU1. During this check, the
identification code CO is compared with a code FCO stored in the
authentication section AU1, wherein a positive result is obtained
in the event of correspondence of the code.
[0025] In the event of a positive result of the check of the
identification code CO being obtained, the control device STE
outputs, via a vehicle bus SPI, a corresponding unlocking signal
OES for proper unlocking to a door control unit TSG. In this case,
the vehicle bus can be for example a so-called serial peripheral
interface (SPI) bus.
[0026] The door control unit TSG is supplied, as indicated, with
the battery voltage Vbat by a vehicle-side battery via the vehicle
electrical system or a vehicle-side power supply. In this case the
supply can take place directly or via a buffered input having a
diode D3 and a buffer capacitor SCP. If the door control unit TSG
receives the proper unlocking signal OES, then it will drive a
motor TSB of a door lock of the vehicle door in order to unlock the
vehicle door or a corresponding locking mechanism. It is also
conceivable that, besides the door control unit TSG of the vehicle
door FZT, further door control units are caused to unlock the
corresponding door locks of further vehicle doors, and thus to
allow a user to have access to the vehicle or to the passenger
compartment.
[0027] Besides this normal or proper operation that takes place if
the vehicle battery makes enough energy available, emergency
operation is also conceivable in accordance with one embodiment of
the present invention.
[0028] For this purpose of initiating emergency operation,
reference shall now be made once again to the smartphone SP as a
mobile identification transmitter of a user. Said smartphone SP is
able to implement a plurality of software-based applications (or
apps). By way of example, it is conceivable that a corresponding
application can be started by means of one of the three buttons
TA1, TA2 or TA3. In this case, the buttons can be embodied as
mechanical buttons or as so-called soft keys (touch-sensitive
sections of a display device). For monitoring and for overview for
a user, the smartphone SP furthermore comprises a display DSP, on
which information concerning the application currently being
executed can be seen. By way of example, it is conceivable that, as
a result of the button TA1 being actuated, an application having
the name "Access" is started and implemented, wherein the
implementation of the application "Access" is confirmed precisely
on the display DSP. This is conceivable not only for emergency
operation but also for proper operation that has been described
above.
[0029] While it is possible that during proper operation, after the
"access" application has been started, the smartphone SP has to be
held against the door handle TG in order to exchange radio signals,
it is conceivable that, during emergency operation, a user actuates
the button TA2, for example, in order to activate emergency
operation. However, it is also conceivable for the smartphone-side
transmitting/receiving device SES to activate emergency operation
independently, for example if it has not received a request signal
CN from the vehicle-side antenna ANF within a specific time
interval after the starting of the application "Access".
[0030] It is now assumed that the emergency operating function in
the smartphone SP has been activated in one of the ways described
above. Moreover, it is assumed, as shown in FIG. 1, that the
smartphone SP is brought into the vicinity of the door handle TG by
the user. In this case, the smartphone-side transmitting/receiving
device SES fed by a smartphone-side battery BAS will then transmit
electromagnetic energy in the form of the radio signals CE in the
direction of the vehicle-side antenna ANF. Said antenna thus serves
as a first section of a vehicle-side energy supply device for
receiving wirelessly transmitted energy and for converting the
transmitted energy into electrical energy. The NFC reader NFF,
which can be regarded as the vehicle-side energy supply device, in
emergency operation, is then not operated as a reader, but rather
in a transponder mode, in which it receives energy supplied (from
the outside).
[0031] The NFC reader NFF furthermore has a second section ALN,
which serves to charge a vehicle-side rechargeable electrical
energy storage device SCH in the form of a supercapacitor or
ultracapacitor via a diode D1 and a resistor W1. In the example,
said supercapacitor SCH has a voltage of 5 volts and a capacitance
of 3.3 F.
[0032] While the smartphone-side transmitting/receiving device SES
transmits high-energy radio waves CE in the direction of the
antenna ANF at regular (in particular short) time intervals (e.g.
at intervals of 300-400 ms or else permanently for a specific
time), this energy is converted further and the supercapacitor SCH
is thereby charged. If a specific first state of charge is
attained, then the vehicle-side control device STE can be supplied
with sufficient voltage via a resistor W2. For a stable voltage
supply over a specific time interval, it is also conceivable and
merely optional to charge via the supercapacitor SCH a further
capacitor, in particular embodied as a supercapacitor SCO, which is
responsible only for safe or proper operation of the vehicle-side
control device STE.
[0033] Since, as stated, the operation of the vehicle-side control
device STE is then ensured either via the supercapacitor SCH or the
supercapacitor SCO or by both supercapacitors, said vehicle-side
control device can thus begin to initiate an authentication process
vis-a-vis the smartphone SP. For this purpose, as above with regard
to proper operation, via the control line SLN, a corresponding
signal can be output to the NFC reader NFF, which thereupon begins
with an exchange of request signals CN and response signals RNO and
a corresponding exchange of the identification code CO. The
identification code CO transmitted by the smartphone SP can then be
checked again by the authentication section AU1. In this way, it is
then conceivable that an authentication device in the form of the
vehicle-side control device STE having the corresponding
authentication section AU1 can be operated, despite failure of the
on-board supply voltage, as a result of the charging of
corresponding vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy stores
(SCH, SCO).
[0034] It is then conceivable that even during the authentication
process or independently thereof, the smartphone SP continues
charging the supercapacitor SCH further by way of the radio signals
CE, in particular with the purpose that said supercapacitor stores
a sufficient amount of energy to carry out an emergency unlocking
of the vehicle door FZT. However, it is also conceivable that the
vehicle-side control device STE, after the activation, firstly
carries out an authentication process vis-a-vis a smartphone and
permits further charging of the supercapacitor SCH only in the
event of a positive checking result (when it is established that
the smartphone SP is associated with the access arrangement
ZAO).
[0035] Independently of the way in which further charging of the
supercapacitor SCH has occurred, it is then assumed that said
supercapacitor has a state of charge sufficient to enable it to be
used for an emergency unlocking. For this purpose, the vehicle-side
control device STE is configured to constantly monitor the state of
charge of the supercapacitor SCH. If there is then a first
condition that an authentication of a smartphone SP placed against
the door handle TG was positive, and if the further condition is
present that the supercapacitor SCH has a sufficient state of
charge, then the vehicle-side control device STE will output, via a
control line SLS, an unlocking signal NES for emergency operation
at a switch SH. Said switch, at whose input SHE the voltage of the
supercapacitor SCH is present and whose output is connected to a
driver circuit TIC, is closed by the unlocking signal for emergency
operation NES, with the result that the energy stored in the
supercapacitor passes to the driver circuit TIC. By way of the
driver circuit TIC, a corresponding actuator or motor TSN will then
carry out unlocking of the door lock or of a corresponding locking
mechanism in order thus, even in the case of emergency operation,
to achieve unlocking of the vehicle door FZT and to allow a user to
have access to the interior of the vehicle.
[0036] It should once again be noted, finally, that in accordance
with an access arrangement ZAO of the invention, a mechanical
emergency key is no longer necessary in a mobile identification
transmitter. On the other hand, it is conceivable to enable
emergency unlocking even in the event of total failure of the
on-board power supply of the vehicle. As a result of the charging
of the supercapacitor SCH, therefore, both a vehicle-side
authentication device in the form of the vehicle-side control
device STE with its authentication section AU1 and a vehicle-side
unlocking device in the form of the switch SH, the driver TIC and
the actuator TSN are supplied with energy. In this way, the
construction of the emergency device in terms of apparatus
technology can be minimized since, in the minimum case, it is
merely necessary to realize the supercapacitor SCH as a
vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device.
Furthermore, the complexity in terms of method technology with
regard to maintenance is also low since the supercapacitor does not
have to be charged regularly during vehicle operation or a vehicle
service in the workshop, but rather can be charged as necessary in
the case of an emergency. Finally, as an advantage of the access
arrangement in accordance with the embodiment of the present
invention, it should be mentioned that for charging the
supercapacitor SCH in emergency operation, it is possible to use an
implement which is used by a user in daily life and which the user
generally carries with himself/herself in a state ready for
operation.
* * * * *